1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for drying the outer and inner ear of a person, such as a swimmer or the like, to remove water that has entered the ear canal or has potential to enter the ear canal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many patents address issues related to drying water in a swimmer's ear, since water accumulation has the potential to upset balance and cause ear infections. Representative patents and patent publications that relate to drying of water in the ear canal are discussed hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,444 to Parker (hereinafter, the “'444 patent”) discloses a hand-held apparatus for grooming animals. The hand-held animal grooming apparatus is configured as a currycomb with a sealed upper edge and serrated lower edge generally formed as a circular hoop, and further comprises a handle with an axial passage to a flexible conduit fed by a hot air blower. When the currycomb is in use against the body of the animal, the open face is effectively sealed by the animal's body, and warm air is blown along the serration to dry the animal during the combing operation. Alternative versions of the instrument include hollow-chamber brushes having similar handles and having a plurality of air passages for directing heated airflow into the handle and out of these passages, generally along the bristle directions. The apparatus disclosed by the '444 patent cannot be utilized for drying moisture from the outer and inner ear. The direct connection of heated air to the grooming device brings very hot air directed at a high velocity over a large area. This feature can result in damage to the delicate anatomical structure of inner ear.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,072 to Collins, II discloses an external auditory canal drying apparatus. The external ear canal drying apparatus comprises a housing unit, a forced air generating unit with an exhaust outlet, and a nozzle adapter unit that is removably received in the exhaust outlet of the forced air-generating unit. The forced air-generating unit includes an air inlet and exhaust conduit that is operatively associated with a blower motor and a heating element to deliver heated forced air through the exhaust port of the forced air-generating unit. The nozzle adapter unit includes a soft pliable tapered housing that is dimensioned to be partially received in a person's ear canal. In one version, the tapered housing is further provided with a suspended central conduit that delivers the heated air to the person's inner ear. Furthermore, the central conduit also defines a concentric return passageway arranged within the tapered housing to allow the heated air to be vented from the person's ear canal. In another version of the '072 patent device, the exterior of the tapered housing is provided with fluted recesses, through which the heated air escapes. Given the sensitive nature of the human ear, both the air speed generated by the blower motor and the air temperature generated by the heating element must be maintained at fairly low values such that the air flow capacity of the blower motor will not exceed 10 cc/sec and the temperature of the heating element will not exceed 39° C. The blower motor must also have a very low decibel rating given its use in close proximity to a user's ear. However, no means for obtaining these parameters are discussed, since the blower air output is directly exhausted into the inner ear. The airflow from the blower to the inner ear is fixed. Consequently, it cannot be adjusted according to the comfort level desired by the user. No means are provided for drying moisture or water droplets in the outer ear. Moreover, since the apparatus inserted into the ear is an electrical device, there are shock hazards associated with the '072 patent device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,771 to Curtin discloses a scent charged aeration capsule assembly for a hair blower. The scent charged aeration capsule assembly is adapted to be placed over the outlet end of a hair blower whereby, during the blower's operation, a selected fragrance may be directed into a subject's hair from a fragrance laden pad seated within a nozzle. The scented aeration capsule does not dry water in the ear canal. It instead blows aerated particles into the user's hair, and potentially onto the skin and even into the ear itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,803 to Spilman (hereinafter, the “'803 patent”) discloses a portable hand held ear vacuum device. The portable hand held ear vacuum device has particular applications for removing fluid and debris from an ear canal. The ear vacuum device comprises a handle element with a motor linked to a fan and a control switch, and a collection chamber for collecting fluid and other debris from an ear canal. The collection chamber is secured to the handle element and has a reservoir therein for collecting and storing accumulated fluid and debris from the ear canal. An ear insertion element is secured to the collection chamber, and is provided with an aperture therein, the aperture being continuous with the reservoir in the collection chamber. The motor in the handle creates a vacuum within the collection chamber, enabling fluids and debris to be drawn from the ear canal into a detachable reservoir by suction. Suction is only possible, if and only if, the water droplets are free and are not wetted to the interior of the inner ear canal. The water droplets that enter the ear during swimming or surfing are forced, at high velocity, into the inner ear and are generally wetted. The '803 patent's ear vacuum apparatus does not evaporate the water droplets from a person's ear; rather the apparatus sucks the moisture and debris from the user's ear. Furthermore, there is also no means disclosed for drying the outer ear.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,599,297 to Carlsson, et al. (hereinafter, the “'297 patent”) discloses a device for ventilating the middle ear. The middle ear ventilating device operates by means of a ventilation tube, which is made of a tissue-compatible material, preferably titanium. The ventilation tube has a through-channel for air communication between the cavity of the middle ear and the outside air. The device for ventilating the middle ear uses an implanted titanium ventilation tube, which connects the middle ear to the outside, thereby draining any fluids in the middle ear. The '297 patent's disclosure has nothing to do with removing moisture or water droplets from the inner ear canal and the outer ear due to water accumulation, primarily from showering, swimming, or water surfing, but instead discloses a drainage type apparatus to be utilized in connection with a medical condition for draining fluid out of the middle ear.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,725,568 to Gronka discloses an ear canal dryer and method of use thereof. The ear canal dryer comprises a bulb and a speculum, each having an air flow controller. The bulb has a ball check valve to force the air through the speculum, which also has a ball check valve. By inserting the speculum into the ear canal and squeezing the bulb, an air stream is injected into the ear canal causing evaporation of fluid and carrying the moisture out of the canal. The speculum has an external airflow director in the form of grooves for directing air inside the cavity and out along the outer surface of the speculum. The device pulls room air into the ear canal through a tapered speculum. The moist air is prevented from entering the bulb by use of ball check valves. External grooves on the tapered speculum allow moist air to escape to the ambient, thereby drying any moisture or water droplets in the ear canal. The squeezing of the bulb can produce very high velocity air through the ear canal, especially if the bulb is squeezed at a fast rate, risking injury to the delicate eardrum. Since the air delivered into the inner ear is ambient air, it is at room temperature and any drying action is slow. Drying of moisture in the inner ear is impossible when the room's humidity is high.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,739,071 to Andis, et al. (hereinafter, the “'071 patent”) discloses a combined diffuser and concentrator for a hair dryer. The combined diffuser and concentrator includes a handle, a body connected to the handle portion, a barrel connected to the body portion having an inner member defining a first air passageway, an outer member slidably coupled to the inner member and defining a second air passageway that is substantially parallel to the first air passageway, and a shutter. The shutter is coupled to the inner member and is movable in response to sliding of the outer member with respect to the inner member to selectively direct air through the first air passageway and the second air passageway. The outer member is slidable with respect to the inner member from a first position wherein air flows through only the first passageway providing a concentrated airflow. In a second position air flows through the second air passageway, thereby providing a diffuse airflow. The hair dryer combines a diffuser and concentrator assembly. The '071 disclosure has nothing to do with drying moisture or water droplets in the inner ear or outer ear.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0083620 to McCambridge, et al. discloses an attachment for a handheld dryer. The disclosed attachment includes a shell and a dryer barrel-receiving portion. The barrel-receiving portion comprises a plurality of spaced apart elongated fins connected to a shell and configured for frictionally receiving a dryer barrel. The shell has a larger diameter compared to the barrel. A first passage is defined between the shell and the dryer and terminates in a shell inlet defined between the shell and the dryer barrel. The patent publication discloses an attachment to be utilized in conjunction with a handheld dryer. The barrel of the hair dryer is attached to a nozzle, thereby increasing the velocity of the airflow. A concentric annular shell with fins is attached to the barrel of the hair dryer, creating a mixing region between the nozzle flow air and the air sucked between the shell and the barrel by the Venturi effect. The increase volume of flow provides a higher flow capacity from the hair dryer without using a larger blower within the hair dryer. The patent application disclosure has nothing to do with drying moisture or water droplets within inner ear or outer ear. It merely increases the volumetric air output from a hair dryer, but drastically decreases the temperature and velocity of air delivered from the hair dryer; both factors decrease any moisture drying action.
There remains a need in the art for a drying system that effectively dries water in the inner ear canal caused by swimming and participation in water based sports including diving and water surfing. Not only does water present in the inner ear canal need to be removed, but water in the outer ear must also be removed since movement of the head may permit water droplets from the outer ear to enter the inner ear canal. The process of drying these water droplets requires delivery of warm air at a velocity and warmth sufficiently low that the sensitive anatomical structure of the ear is not affected.